Defiant dance, big bold beats and a story of love, The Beautiful Ones is created by Hone Kouka and featuring live vocals and a return to acting by Ria Hall. Projected imagery, live music, beats, fierce dance and late night talk collide to produce an electrifying underground experience with an urban Pacific flavour.

The Beautiful Ones invites the audience onto the large scale set with open dance floor, and into the dynamic and heady world of Hana and Ihia. Will the promise the young lovers made to each other withstand the temptations of the modern world? Visually striking, this multi-media work features music by rising producer K*Saba and award winning musician Tama Waipara.

We caught up with Ria Hall ahead of the production which kicks off in Auckland this Saturday November 19th.

How did you get involved with The Beautiful Ones?

I was emailed by Hone Kouka - the director of Tawhata Productions, and I pretty much got back to him as soon as I received word. It's something I've been interested in getting into and the opportunity came so I said yes and I'm stoked.

And this is your first time acting?

Yeah it is, my first time with this style of performance. I'm really looking forward to the challenge.

Tama Waipara is in charge of all the music. What's it like working with him?

He's one of my best mates and I've worked with him on a number of different shows and different events. It's always a pleasure working with him because he knows exactly what he wants to hear and he knows how to direct you really well and achieve those things. It's just going to be a big party really.

From all accounts it sounds like it's a fairly complex show...

Yeah, there's so many things that have been worked on this whole process... so it's a fashion, music, artistic collaboration and extravaganza. So it's going to be interesting to see how it comes about and falls into place, but I have no doubt that it is going to be an epic event.

And you're releasing a new single?

I'm releasing the single and a video 'Love Will Leave Us Alone' (released November 24), and will be releasing an album next year... probably not till around June. But while I'm doing the show I'm actually in the throws of getting ready to release the single... so the timing was perfect.

How did you construct the song?

I actually wrote most of it in Australia. I was overseas on a little bit of a break. I usually tend to write music around different events. You record events and situations that happen to you, so that's kind of where the song came from. And now I'm going to be finally releasing it which is awesome... I'm so excited about that.

Are you planning on any shows over the summer?

Yeah, I'm really busy over the summer. I'm doing the Marley tribute show which is happening on the 9-10 of December along with Anna Coddington, Boh Runga, Tiki Taane, Jason Kerrison... it's a staked line up. And also doing the Fly My Pretties shows in January.

And heading into 2017 what are you plans then?

I'll be hosting One Love in Tauranga which is now the biggest reggae festival in the southern hemisphere. And then I'm presenting on Marae DIY on TV3 which happens all through out summer, so it's very busy!

The Beautiful Ones

Sat 19 November, 8:00pm & 11:00pm (Late Night Club Show), Tue 22 November 6:30pm & Wed 23 – Sat 26 November 8:00pm
Tickets via Ticketmaster

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